Introduction

I make a lot of Asian inspired soups. From Egg Drop to Buddha's Delight, this is a great base for any Asian inspired dish! You can use all chicken or all pork. Personally I love half chicken and half pork..

I have found that making my own broth ahead of time and freezing it is three things: SUPER low in sodium, has a depth of flavor that you do not get in market broth, and it is easy!

Making this ahead of time and thawing only when you need it is AWESOME! I freeze it in 2 cup, 4 cup and 6 cup vacuum sealed bags. I just pull out what I need an hour or two before I make it. And the taste will prove that all your work before hand was time more than well spent!!!

I make this broth 2-3 times a month... It never lasts long!

Inspired by Saved By Soup - Judith Barret and Sunset Homemade Soups - Editors of Sunset Books & Magazines
I make a lot of Asian inspired soups. From Egg Drop to Buddha's Delight, this is a great base for any Asian inspired dish! You can use all chicken or all pork. Personally I love half chicken and half pork..

I have found that making my own broth ahead of time and freezing it is three things: SUPER low in sodium, has a depth of flavor that you do not get in market broth, and it is easy!

Making this ahead of time and thawing only when you need it is AWESOME! I freeze it in 2 cup, 4 cup and 6 cup vacuum sealed bags. I just pull out what I need an hour or two before I make it. And the taste will prove that all your work before hand was time more than well spent!!!

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken - bone in no skin (or chicken pieces such as neck backs and wings), uncooked pork bones and trimmings (I use pork hocks, but you could use any pork cut with bone), or a combination of both (my favorite)

1 - 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into 2 -3 pieces

1 TBSP diced lemon grass

2 TBSP sake - Japanese rice wine (I think if you would not drink it, do not cook with it)

Directions

Combine all of your ingredients into an 8 quart stockpot and cook over high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium low cover. Skim the surface of fat occasionally (*or try my trick below). Cook until chicken is falling off the bone. about 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours. Cool at room temperature.

When room temperature strain the liquid off using a sieve of colander into a couple bowls or plastic containers (remember it yields about 12 cups when finished) press water out of chicken/pork and vegetables with spoon (I reserve the chicken for other soups, but the vegetables I toss since their essence is now in the broth and they no longer have much taste, and the pork bone I toss but keep the meat for Hot and Sour soup or another pork dish)

Divide broth into 2,4,or 6 cup amounts in a freezable container (I am an uber fan of vacuum seal bags). Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months, but I doubt it will last that long.

Makes 12 - 1 cup servings

*fat removal trick*Place your cooled and strained broth in your refrigerator over night. In the morning the fat will be hardened and floating on top and super easy to skim off! Then divide and freeze!